AuroraMackellar at 22:46, 19 February 2026

2026-02-19T22:46:54Z

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{{Short description|1998 air crash}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| date = {{start date|1998|07|30|df=y}}
| summary = Uncommanded pitch-up and stall due to horizontal stabiliser failure caused by improper maintenance
| site = Near [[Kochi]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| total_fatalities = 9
| image = Sevenair Dornier Do-228 CS-AYT at Portimão Airport 11-10-2019 (1).jpg
| caption = A Dornier 228 similar to the one involved in the accident
| passengers = 3
| crew = 3
| fatalities = 6
| survivors = 0
| aircraft_type = [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited|HAL]] [[Dornier 228]]
| operator = [[Indian Airlines]]
| IATA = IC503
| ICAO = IAC503
| callsign = INDAIR 503
| tail_number = VT-EJW
| origin = [[Agatti Airport]], [[Agatti]], [[Lakshadweep]]
| stopover = [[INS Garuda|Willingdon Island Airport]], [[Kochi]], [[Kerala]]
| destination = [[Thiruvananthapuram International Airport]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]]
| total_injuries = 6 (on ground)
| ground_fatalities = 3
| ground_injuries = 6
}}

'''Indian Airlines Flight 503''' was a scheduled flight operated by [[Indian Airlines]] between [[Agatti Island|Agatti]] and [[Thiruvananthapuram]], with a stopover in [[Kochi]]. On 30 July 1998, the [[Dornier 228]] aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Kochi killing all six people onboard and three people on the ground.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chronology of Air crashes in India |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/chronology-of-air-crashes-in-india/story-N06bRyojimihRzdi4upoAM.html |access-date=3 June 2023 |work=Hindustan Times |date=21 May 2003 |language=en |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603194726/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/chronology-of-air-crashes-in-india/story-N06bRyojimihRzdi4upoAM.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Aircraft ==
The aircraft involved was a 13-year-old Dornier 228, manufactured in 1986 by [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]] on licence from [[Dornier Flugzeugwerke|Dornier]], registered as VT-EJW. The aircraft had previously operated for [[Vayudoot]], however was transferred to Indian Airlines in 1993 to operate the Agatti-Kochi-Thiruvananthapuram route. It had an [[airworthiness]] certificate valid until 1999.<ref name="auto2">{{cite book |title=STATEMENT BY MINISTER Accident of an Indian Airlines Dornier Aircraft at Kochi on 30th July, 1998 |date=3 August 1998 |publisher=Rajya Sabha, Parliament of India |location=New Delhi |pages=132–151 |url=https://rsdebate.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/128891/1/PD_184_03081998_34_p132_p151_9.pdf |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite news |title=Rediff On The NeT: Nine killed as IA plane crashes into naval workshop |url=https://m.rediff.com/news/1998/jul/30plane.htm |access-date=3 June 2023 |work=m.rediff.com |date=30 July 1998 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603194729/https://m.rediff.com/news/1998/jul/30plane.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dornier Do228 production list |url=https://rzjets.net/aircraft/?page=2&typeid=93 |website=rzjets.net |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604030339/https://rzjets.net/aircraft/?page=2&typeid=93 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Flight information ==
The flight originated in [[Agatti Airport|Agatti]], [[Lakshadweep]] and was headed for [[Thiruvananthapuram International Airport|Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]] after a stopover at Kochi as Indian Airlines flight 503.<ref name="auto"/> Kochi had a [[INS Garuda|naval airport]] where the [[Airports Authority of India]] operated a [[Joint-use airport|civil enclave]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lok Sabha Debates: Made a statement regarding the accident of Indian Airlines Dornier Aircraft at Cochin on 30 July, 1998 |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/439708/ |website=Indian Kanoon |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref>

The flight was commanded by [[Captain]] Shiv Raj Singh with Captain Manish Sharma as [[First officer (aviation)|co-pilot]]. The captain had 5,000 hours of [[flight time]] on the Dornier while the co-pilot had over 2,000 hours. The only other crew member on board the aircraft was the [[Purser|flight purser]], Sajid. There were only three passengers on board the sixteen-seater aircraft, none of whom survived. Three people on the ground were also killed, while six others suffered injuries.<ref name="auto2"/> The passengers, crew and victims on the ground were all admitted to [[INHS Sanjivani]] for treatment.<ref name="auto"/>

The aircraft took off from runway 17 of the airport at 11:04am local time. After reaching about 400 feet (122 metres) in its [[Climb (aeronautics)|initial climb]], it pitched up steeply and entered a [[Stall (fluid dynamics)|stall]] before banking right, entering an uncontrolled descent and crashing into a workshop building near the naval [[hangar]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Major air crashes in India in two decades |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2010/may/22/major-air-crashes-in-india-in-two-decades-158593.html |access-date=3 June 2023 |work=The New Indian Express |date=22 May 2010 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404175243/https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2010/may/22/major-air-crashes-in-india-in-two-decades-158593.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Belcastro |first1=Christine |last2=Newman |first2=Richard |title=Aircraft Loss of Control: Problem Analysis for the Development and Validation of Technology Solutions |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20160007744/downloads/20160007744.pdf |website=NASA Technical Reports Server |publisher=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=20 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220015605/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20160007744/downloads/20160007744.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The aircraft burst into flames on impact and was destroyed.<ref>{{cite web |title=DORNIER 228, VT-EJW, KOCHI AERODROME, INDIA, 30-JUL-1998 |url=https://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/adb/adb/ADBview.asp?REF=19980730B |website=www.fire.tc.faa.gov |publisher=CSRTG Aircraft Accident Database |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603194727/https://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/adb/adb/ADBview.asp?REF=19980730B |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Airport crash tender|Crash tenders]] responded swiftly and four of the victims, alive but critically injured, were moved to a hospital within 15 minutes of the crash.<ref name="auto2"/>

== Investigation ==
The [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] ordered an investigation into the accident and a three-member Committee of Inquiry headed by [[Air marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] P. Raj Kumar was constituted under the [[Aircraft Act|Aircraft Rules, 1937]].<ref name="dgca">{{Cite web |date=1998-11-14 |title=Report of the Committee of Inquiry investigating the accident involving Indian Airlines Dornier aircraft VTEJW at Kochi on 30th July, 1998 |url=https://www.dgca.gov.in/digigov-portal/?dynamicPage=dynamicPdf/bYFEgy8NuBORHIF9+4khlQ==&mainAccidentReports/500005/0/viewApplicationDtlsReq |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=www.dgca.gov.in |publisher=Directorate General of Civil Aviation}}</ref> The Committee in its report made 49 findings and 7 recommendations and stated that "poor aircraft maintenance practices at Short Haul Operations Department had contributed to the accident".<ref>{{cite web |title=FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON DORNIER AIRCRAFT CRASH |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/releases98/lyr99/l0699/r140699.html |website=archive.pib.gov.in |publisher=Press Information Bureau |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603194725/https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/releases98/lyr99/l0699/r140699.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It found that the aircraft had pitched up uncontrollably after takeoff and that this was the result of a "sudden uncommanded downward movement of the [[Stabilizer (aeronautics)|Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer]] leading edge. This was due to partial detachment of its [[actuator]] forward bearing support fitting due to non-installation of required hi-lok fasteners."<ref>{{cite web |title=UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:5087 |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/458692/1/7559.pdf |publisher=Lok Sabha, Parliament of India |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603194728/https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/458692/1/7559.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web |title=CIVIL AVIATION AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR 1998 |url=http://164.100.60.133/aircraft/accrep-ind.htm |publisher=Directorate General of Civil Aviation |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-date=5 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205172902/http://164.100.60.133/aircraft/accrep-ind.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Consequently, the aircraft "stalled, fell to its right and crashed."<ref name="auto1"/>

Indian Airlines paid {{INR}}76.87 lakh ({{Lakh|76.87}}, roughly [[United States dollar|US$]]195,000) as compensation to the victims and received {{INR}}5 crore ({{Crore|5}}, US$1.27 million) from its insurers towards loss of the aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:4329 |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/444269/1/57767.pdf |publisher=Lok Sabha, Parliament of India |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1998}}
{{Air India}}
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1998]]
[[Category:1998 in India]]
[[Category:Indian (airline) accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:July 1998 in India]]
[[Category:History of Kochi]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Dornier 228]]

Indian Airlines Flight 503 - Revision history

AuroraMackellar at 22:46, 19 February 2026